FORWARD DRINKING

Turns out it’s not so much what you order, but when. The run up to Christmas brings plenty of chances to overindulge, but if you’d like to save yourself for a mega feast or two and make healthy choices in the meantime, there’s an easy way to manage temptation: if you order your food an hour or more in advance of eating, you consume fewer calories than if you order immediately before, a US study has found. Researchers discovered that the likelihood of making indulgent choices is drastically reduced if you’re not poring over the specials when you’re hungry. So, you may not always be able to actually place your order in advance, but check the menu online, make your selection, and order this dish on arrival – smug in the knowledge you’ve made a healthy choice. Include your drink in the process, and you’ll save on this secret source of calories as well.